USPTO Patents Application 10019228

Notice of Allowability

Application No.

10/019,228

Applicant(s)

RYHMAN, MORGAN ,

Examiner

Patrick F. Brinson

Art Unit

3752

- The MAILING DATE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--

All claims being allowable, PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS (OR REMAINS) CLOSED in this application. If not included
herewith (or previously mailed), a Notice of Allowance (PTOL-85) or other appropriate communication will be mailed in due course. THIS
NOTICE OF ALLOWABILITY IS NOT A GRANT OF PATENT RIGHTS. This application is subject to withdrawal from issue at the initiative
of the Office or upon petition by the applicant. See 37 CFR 1.313 and MPEP 1308.

1 . M This communication is responsive to amendment filed April 20. 2004 .

2. The allowed claim(s) is/are 1-23 .

3. M The drawings filed on 02 April 2004 are accepted by the Examiner.

4. (3 Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).

a) E| All b) □ Some* c) □ None of the:

1. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.

2. □ Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. .

3. □ Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this national stage application from the

International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
* Certified copies not received: .

Applicant has THREE MONTHS FROM THE "MAILING DATE" of this communication to file a reply complying with the requirements
noted below. Failure to timely comply will result in ABANDONMENT of this application.
THIS THREE-MONTH PERIOD IS NOT EXTENDABLE.

5. □ A SUBSTITUTE OATH OR DECLARATION must be submitted. Note the attached EXAMINER'S AMENDMENT or NOTICE OF

INFORMAL PATENT APPLICATION (PTO-152) which gives reason(s) why the oath or declaration is deficient.

6. □ CORRECTED DRAWINGS ( as "replacement sheets") must be submitted.

(a) □ including changes required by the Notice of Draftsperson's Patent Drawing Review ( PTO-948) attached

1 ) □ hereto or 2) □ to Paper No./Mail Date .

(b) □ including changes required by the attached Examiner's Amendment / Comment or in the Office action of

Paper No./Mail Date .

Identifying indicia such as the application number (see 37 CFR 1.84(c)) should be written on the drawings in the front (not the back) of
each sheet. Replacement sheet(s) should be labeled as such in the header according to 37 CFR 1.121(d).

7. □ DEPOSIT OF and/or INFORMATION about the deposit of BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL must be submitted. Note the

attached Examiner's comment regarding REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEPOSIT OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL

Attachment(s)

1. □ Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)

2. □ Notice of Draftperson's Patent Drawing Review (PTO-948)

3. □ Information Disclosure Statements (PTO-1449 or PTO/SB/08),

Paper No./Mail Date

4. □ Examiner's Comment Regarding Requirement for Deposit

of Biological Material

5. □ Notice of Informal Patent Application (PTO-152)

6. IS Interview Summary (PTO-41 3),

Paper No./Mail Date .

7. El Examiner's Amendment/Comment

8. □ Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance

9. □ Other

Primary Examiner
Art Unit: 3752

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
PTOL-37 (Rev. 1-04)

Notice of Allowability

Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20040503

Application/Control Number: 10/019,228 Page 2

Art Unit: 3752

EXAMINER'S AMENDMENT

1. An examiner's amendment to the record appears below. Should the changes
and/or additions be unacceptable to applicant, an amendment may be filed as
provided by 37 CFR 1.312. To ensure consideration of such an amendment, it MUST
be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee.

Authorization for this examiner's amendment was given in a telephone
interview with Applicant's attorney, Mr. Joe McKinney Muncy on 3 May 2004.

The application has been amended as follows:

In the Specification :

Page 2, line 27, after "unit", insert — The wall portion has a substantially
constant diameter and the expansion portions have a substantially smaller
diameter than the wall. —

Page 6, line 34, delete — electric — , insert — elastic — ,
In the Claims :

Claim 1, line 11, after "wall", insert— portion — , line 13, after "diameter",
insert — than the wall — ,

Claim 13, page 17, line 3, change "foam" to "form", line 4, after "along",
delete — the— insert — an inner — .

Application/Control Number: 10/019,228

Page 3

Art Unit: 3752

Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from
the examiner should be directed to Patrick F. Brinson whose telephone number is
(703) 308-0111. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7:30-3:00.

If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
supervisor, Michael Y. Mar can be reached on (703) 308-2087. The fax phone
number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-

Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR
only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov.
Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the
Electronic Business Center (EBC) at. 866-21 7-91 97 (toll-free).

872-9306.

Patrick F. Brinson
Primary Examiner

Art Unit 3752

P. F. Brinson
May 3, 2004